You’ve heard the phrase “two heads are better than one”. This can apply to Maine-based businesses and their intellectual property. When two or more companies agree to share their intellectual property so they both benefit, the payback can be considerable. Collaboration can result in increased revenue, and also the development of more intellectual property that  Continue Reading »

The broker and valuation analyst bring very different perspectives to the small business owner. The broker and business owner have the joint goal of finding the highest bidder. The valuation analyst has the goal of providing the business owner with an objective conclusion of value for widely different purposes. During the life of a business,  Continue Reading »

It used to be that small business owners believed that all they had to do was serve their customers effectively and make sure that their stock maintained or increased its value. It’s now more usual, however, that business owners also must be concerned with their stakeholders. What are stakeholders? They include shareholders, of course, but  Continue Reading »

There is generally no one legal structure that works best for all small businesses. The best choice depends on a number of things, including the number of owners, your tax situation and whether or not you have employees. A limited liability company (LLC) may be a good choice because it provides flexibility, low maintenance, favorable  Continue Reading »

Whether you’re setting up a new company in the Greater Portland area, or you’ve been in business for years, you need to evaluate which legal structure is best for your enterprise. No one option is best for every type of operation. The number of owners, taxes, and your business goals are all important factors to  Continue Reading »

Setting up and maintaining a SEP for your Maine-based business is probably easier than you think. The sooner you get started saving, the more secure your retirement will be, plus your business can gain tax advantages right away.  SEP Basics The SEP is a stripped-down retirement plan mainly intended for self-employed individuals and small corporate employers. If  Continue Reading »

Wisniewski v. Walsh, 2013 N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 724 (April 2, 2013) Children learn that bad behavior has consequences. An appellate court recently taught a similar lesson to a troublemaking shareholder whose doings forced a buyout. Three siblings each owned a one-third interest in a family business. They had a falling out, and one sued  Continue Reading »

Christou v. Beatport, LLC, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9034 (Jan. 23, 2013) In a suit (D.C. Colo.) involving dueling dance club owners and their businesses, the defendants filed a Daubert motion to exclude expert testimony regarding lost profits and lost enterprise value. The plaintiff owned two Colorado nightclubs that gained national attention for electronic dance  Continue Reading »

Companies on the brink of collapse must now use the liquidation basis of accounting, according to new guidance from the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Financial statements will now have to be prepared that show the values of assets and liabilities in terms of expected cash proceeds from liquidation. Plus, any assets not previously recognized under  Continue Reading »